young and awkward
by the blanket
Summary: SasuSaku. “I kind of want to fall in young, awkward love with you.”


**title:** young and awkward  
**pairing:** SasuSaku**  
summary:** "I kind of want to fall in young, awkward love with you."**  
for:** So sometimes, I leave my babies in a box, in the rain, and it is very sad. As penance, I write them gifts.  
**notes:** Some happy future. I assume a lot, I know. :) And snaps for emotive!Sasuke—or at least, lessbroodythanusual!Sasuke.

**disclaimer: **Naruto isn't mine.

* * *

"I kind of want to fall in young, awkward love with you."

He looked at her from where he sat underneath the shade of the largest tree near the training grounds. While years of exposure had accustomed him to her unusual brand of candor—especially, Sasuke thought, in relation to him—this declaration was something decidedly different. Something in him refused to allow her words to go unanswered.

"What?"

Sakura turned to him, her green eyes crinkled at the corners, her mouth soft, and only slightly curved into the barest semblance of a smile.

"Oh, I don't know," she said simply, and again he was surprised. There was no regret in her voice—not for honesty. But she was speaking again, and so he listened.

"I just," she began, "I just always thought that we sort of, you know, never really had the chance to have any of the—"

She trailed off, presumably, Sasuke thought, to consider her words.

"Don't stop now," he said, allowing only the faintest strains of amusement coloring his voice. "You were doing so well."

"Shut up," Sakura said, almost fondly. "I just…kind of wish we could have done the whole bit, you know—the sweaty hand-holding, the telltale blushing, the silly stammering. _I_ got some of it, but I'm sure you remember. I asked you on dates every other weekday."

"Try every other hour," he replied, inwardly shuddering at the memory.

"Again," she said, and this time, there was no mistaking the affection, "shut up."

"You want all that, though," he said, because a part of him he almost did not recognize could not help but ask. "What did you call it—_'young, awkward love'_?"

She thought for a moment, and unbidden, her eyes fell to their hands. They weren't quite linked—or laced; she'd forgotten which word the worn romance novel on her nightstand had used as a description—together. In fact, they were only barely touching. The only point of contact was where the very tip of the smallest finger on her right hand met the knuckle of its corresponding partner on his left. She linked her pinky with his, determined to ignore his scoffing.

"See? This is exactly my point. We weren't even aligned the right way," she said aloud. "Not until I fixed us."

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes, but did not pull away.

"I sometimes wish that you didn't have to be so tragic all the time," she said.

"I didn't ask for it, you know. The tragedy," he replied.

"Yeah," Sakura said softly. "Yeah, I know."

They were quiet for a while, but Habit called for her to break the silence.

"I guess we could start now."

"What," Sasuke said again.

"The _'young awkward love thing,'_ I mean," Sakura said irritably, as though she were angry at his inability to follow her thought processes. "You're slow today, Sasuke-kun."

"Aa," he said in agreement. Sasuke had long since learned that when Sakura got into one of her fits of pique, it was best to simply ride it out.

"What I meant was," she continued pointedly, "we could try young, awkward love right now."

"But why," said Sasuke, enjoying the way her brows twitched in her irritation.

"Because obviously, Sasuke-kun, we have all the necessary components. I'm young, and—no offense—but tall, pale, and handsome though you might be, you are also actually kind of awkward," she stated, the smile on her face belying her words.

He looked at her for a moment, his dark eyes all but unblinking, and allowed their fingers to intertwine—a lover's knot, Sakura had called it once. When he heard her breath hitch, he smirked.

"Sa-Sasuke-kun," she said, breaking his gaze. Her cheeks, he noticed smugly, were flushed.

"Aa," he said simply. "We can do young and awkward."

* * *

Mah. Plotless fluff. I have a frillion Word documents open, so brace yourselves for more.

Please, let me know what you think!


End file.
